A City In Flames
by AverageLucas
Summary: As the city burns around him a young Shiro meets a woman in red who saves his life from the flames. A woman whose influence will reverberate throughout Shiro's life, prompting him to save the Witch of Betrayal several years later. A decision that would drag him into the Holy Grail War. Shiro/Red Saber/Caster.
1. Chapter 1

****Hello friends. Thank you for clicking into this story and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.****

 ** **As always thanks to thefinalarbiter, or as I call him, Arby. He is the beta for this story and prevents the story from being a complete mess. Check out his stories.****

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He didn't want to die.

That was the only thing running through Shiro's mind as he walked among the flames. The cries for help coming from the fire, the screams of agony, they all fell on deaf ears; drowned by his desire to live.

I don't want to die, I don't want to die; I don't want to die. They were the pleas of a scared child in a burning city.

His foot lodged into a piece of debris, sparsely noticing his surroundings. He tipped over with a yell, slamming into the ground and hurting his hands as he broke his fall with them. The ground was burning, scorching hot. The boy could only manage a few pained grunts, the hot air had dried out his throat and the only sound he could muster were pathetic whimpers.

Tears started to run down his cheeks. The pleasant cool feeling they brought gone almost instantly as they dissipated from the heat. A few thick tears fell from his face and to his hands. The sight of a teardrop hitting the back of his hand was the last thing he saw before his vision blurred.

He had left his parents behind, his friends, the people he knew. He had ignored their cries for help, paid no heed to the people he had come across. What was worse is that he couldn't recall any of their faces. The people that had been his life until now where no more than a simple blur. What kept him moving forward was his desire to live, and it was greater than the guilt he felt for leaving everyone behind ate him on the inside. Even though Shiro was just a kid, he understood very clearly that he had just saved himself.

Closing his eyes and wiping his tears, he tried to stand, but fell to his knees, grunting at the pain in his leg. Fog started to descend on Shiro's mind. Were it exhaustion or something more sinister, Shiro's mind could not care or tell. He only knew that it was getting harder to think. The air was also getting warmer, a repugnant smell making him grimace in disgust. The boy resisted the urge to throw up and kept trying to move forward. He attempted to run again but was unable to, feeling drained. Something was sucking the life out of everything around him.

In the end, he did manage to limp away. His instincts telling him something dangerous was close. Something he couldn't understand. His head was pounding, telling him that if he stopped he would certainly die. His strength started to leave him, the fog that clouded his mind getting thicker.

Then he saw it, a sickening red mass that relentlessly spread, burning everything in its way. _Death_ was the only thing that came to mind. Burning trees and buildings, the red mass started to engulf everything around Shiro.

The boy desperately looked around for a way out. There was no escape. He shook his head, the smoke stung his throat and lungs; his consciousness slipping away. With a coughing fit, he did the only thing he could, climb a pile of rubble and hope the red liquid spared him.

A naive hope at best. If the red corruption decided not to bother with him, then the smoke would surely suffocate him. He cowered into the pile of rubble, craving any sort of protection. A part of him was too far gone. With dead eyes, the only thing his body could do was lay there and rest; to wait for death to come knocking.

He looked up at the moon, ignoring the burning pain at his back. The boy's hand reached out to it. Perhaps in a final attempt to escape, or a simple desire to grab that only pure orb of light in this inferno. "Someone... please help me." he pleaded with a dry throat that made the words sound more like intelligible grunts. The feeling of hopelessness just kept getting bigger, the realization that he wasn't going to make it out alive setting in.

Without him noticing, the corruption started to burn the rubble at his back. A single drop slipped through the cracks. Almost delicately, the ooze fell on Shiro's right shoulder. It burned like an inferno, and the boy thought with all certainty that this was his end.

"I don't want to die!" came the shriek.

A pulse rippled above him, bringing fresh air. There were blue shockwaves in the sky, driving off the smoke away. It lasted for only a second, but Shiro saw it as the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His arm lost the last of its strength, and unceremoniously started to fall.

That's when Shiro saw her; a woman in a crimson red dress with golden hair. Two emerald green eyes looked down on Shiro, while he just stared at her mutely, thinking her a mere hallucination. With a swift motion the woman got to her knee and caught his hand mid air.

Her hand was cool, like metal. It felt nice.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Shiro woke up completely soaked in sweat. It had been a long time since he'd had that dream. It was far from pleasant, but he had gotten accustomed to it. He no longer woke up screaming like he did as a child, at the very least.

He sighed and rubbed his right shoulder, it hurt. The small movement made it hurt even more, but he preferred the finite pain to having his shoulder stiff the whole day. It finally seemed the give in, the cracking of his bones feeling extremely relieving.

"Senpai!" came the sweet voice of his underclassman. The purpled haired girl entered the room with a jovial attitude, wearing an apron. "Breakfast is ready…" her face scrunched with worry the moment she saw her Senpai with a hand on his shoulder.

"Does it hurt?" she asked meekly, her concern sipping through her every word.

Shiro smiled, feeling guilty over making her worry. "Not really, my shoulder is just stiff from sleeping on the floor."

Her worry quickly turned to annoyance. "Seriously, Senpai, you mustn't overwork yourself. Look at this, you still have your work clothes on!" she scolded him with a pout.

The redhead clasped his hands in apology "It won't happen again."

With a pout that told Shiro she didn't believe him, she left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

Once she was gone, Shiro looked down and squinted in annoyance. That crafty girl had decided to prepare breakfast while he slept, even though he had explicitly told her it was not necessary. He let out a chuckle that quickly turned into a groan as he covered his eyes. Nothing good happened the days he had those dreams.

Trying to ignore the ominous thought, he stood up. The lively Taiga could already be heard from across the house, praising Sakura on the breakfast. It calmed him down, and with a sigh, he gathered the strength necessary to stand up and start his day on a more or less positive note.

The boy quickly went to his room and changed into his school uniform, making a quick trip to the bathroom to wash his face; he didn't want the food to get cold. On his way out, he found an envelope glued to his door.

 _New budget_ , it read.

Shiro frowned and stashed the envelope in his pocket. "You couldn't give it to me in person, now, could you?" he muttered with annoyance before exiting his room.

The table was as lively as always. The teacher was munching down everything in sight while Sakura had diligently waited for him. The food at the table was mostly western, a kind of food Sakura had more mastery with than Shiro. It consisted of the typical English breakfast which he would usually consider too heavy for a morning meal. Nevertheless, it was nice to have it once in a while.

The moment he sat down, Shiro felt pressure emanating from the young girl sitting in front of him. Her food was untouched and she stared at him with a gentle smile on her face. The message was clear; eat the food.

Under Sakura's watchful eye, Shiro took a spoonful of the baked beans and dug into them. As expected, it was delicious. It must have shown on his face, because Sakura's expression visibly brightened, but she didn't stop staring him down. It was obvious she wanted Shiro to go one step further.

"It's delicious." he complimented, nodding. The girl seemed satisfied and got started on her own food.

The morning was as any other. The teacher kept cheerily striking up conversation, while Sakura just nodded with a smile on her face. The occasional intervention from Shiro brought things full circle. It was the way things had always been, and that brought a calmness typically seen in a family's interactions.

Ignored by all three was a fourth, steamy plate of food. Untouched, the food was getting cold.

"Anyway, I have to get going. Those tests won't grade themselves!" the short haired woman happily chimed in. Without further ado, she stood up in a flash, leaving an empty plate by the table.

While Sakura just stayed silent, Shiro gave a sigh. "You're a teacher. Why are you doing this last thing in the morning?" Although his voice appeared annoyed, they both knew it was nothing but friendly banter.

"Oh, don't be such a stick in the mud." Taiga responded, sticking out her tongue. She then sped out of the room to get her things before leaving.

"Sometimes, I can't believe she's actually a teacher." Shiro commented, taking a bite of toast and squinting at the ceiling.

"She cares about her students." Sakura answered in her usual meek but happy tone.

"I don't doubt that." He finished up his breakfast and went to put the plates in the sink. On the way he picked up both Sakura's and Taiga's dish. He ignored Sakura's small pout that indicated she was not pleased.

In that moment, the teacher appeared on the door to say her goodbyes. "Remember, don't be late." she said while waving. Before exiting, she turned back, her tone a taking a serious note "And Shiro, there's been something strange going on in the city; so please take care of Sakura." that last part had been said in a playful manner that left Shiro with a blushing face. Sakura, on the other hand, just looked down with steam almost coming out of her head.

With the teacher gone, both teenagers were left with an awkward, yet not unpleasant atmosphere. Shiro broke it, rubbing the back of his head. "Go prepare your stuff, I'll finish up here."

Silence was the only answer he received. He looked up in curiosity only to find Sakura staring at the untouched fourth plate. Her gaze told him everything.

"Senpai?" she asked with worry in her voice, eyes still on the plate.

Shiro frowned. He somewhat empathized with how Sakura felt. "I'll take care of it." he assured her, striding over to pick it up.

"But…" The girl interjected before being cut off by Shiro.

"She just wasn't here today." he comforted her with a kind smile on his face "Don't worry about it." he picked it up and took it to the kitchen, where he wrapped it with plastic and placed it inside the fridge.

Still unsure, Sakura nodded and stood up to get her things ready. He leaned against the counter, waiting for her to exit. Making sure she was well out of sight, he quickly took a bento box out of the fridge. He was well aware that if the girl noticed, she would demand to make him lunch every day; yet what she did on an everyday basis already was too much, Shiro didn't want to drop yet another load onto her shoulders.

With a light shrug, he made his way towards the front door where she waited for him. With a gentle smile, she opened the door, holding it for Shiro. Normally he would protest and tell her that it wasn't necessary. However. today, he decided to accept her kindness and passed through with a nod, missing how Sakura's eyes lowered as he went by her.

The crisp morning air hit his face, making the fine hairs on his neck perk up. He regretted not taking his scarf with him, tomorrow would probably be even colder. Still, it wasn't all that bad. The cool breeze that made him shudder also filled his lungs with fresh air that was nothing but pleasant. The view was also spectacular; behind the myriad of houses, the first light of the sun made itself known, making only the silhouette of said residences visible. The warm sunlight caressed Shiro's skin, presenting a calming contrast with the cold wind.

He took a deep breath and looked to his side where Sakura now stood. "Ready, Senpai?" she asked while holding up her hair with one hand. The string of sunlight combined with her waving hair gave her an almost angelic appearance. Every lock of Sakura's hair shone with the sun; yet it couldn't even begin to compare to her smile.

Shiro looked away, reprimanding himself for having those kind of thoughts for his childhood friend, one that was more akin to a sister.

Before he could say anything, the voice of a child interrupted his musings. He looked around for the source of the noise only to find a nine year old boy in an elementary school uniform running towards him. "Onii-chan, onii-chan!" he repeated as he hurled closer at a surprising speed.

The boy was quickly standing at Shiro's feet, his eyes beaming up at him like one would look at their idol. He obviously wanted to say something, couldn't quite figure out what. His fiddling hands and rapidly shifting eyes made Shiro raise an eyebrow in surprise.

Shiro quickly got on a knee and shuffled the boy's hair with a smile. The boy was no stranger, he was a local kid that had made Shiro into some kind of a personal demigod. Now he followed him around whenever he was able, and was constantly vying for his attention. The redhead didn't mind, he was a good kid.

"Hello, Saito." the teen greeted, ruffling his hair a second time. "Everything good at school? Are your studies going alright?"

The boy with jet black hair, brown eyes and an adventurous smirk drawn on his lips enthusiastically nodded. Saito then looked behind Shiro's back and with the same picturesque smile said "Hello, Onee-Chan."

The girl in question gave him a small nod in acknowledgement, not saying anything.

"I did all my homework, and then I got the highest grade in P.E!" Saito boldly proclaimed with a hand on chest.

"Did you, now?" Shiro led him on, knowing that the boy would probably bask in all of his glory. As expected, the boy energetically nodded.

"Saito-chan does look like he's the strongest and fastest in his class." the purple haired teen piped from behind Shiro. Her soft spoken words and warm smile bringing red to the kid's cheeks.

"That's right… I am." Saito tried to cover up his embarrassment with a brash tone, but did a rather poor job.

"Saito." called an older, feminine voice. The boy's appearance changed in a flash, shuddering with a grimace as the voice reached him. The two teens turned around, curious. Walking at a fairly fast pace was a woman, probably in her thirties. With her dark brown hair tied in a ponytail that rested on her right shoulder and went down to her chest, a warm, motherly air surrounded her.

"I'm sorry he bothered you." she profusely apologized as she arrived, before eying her child with what could only be categorized as a murderous glare.

The fact that he didn't want to be ashamed in front of his idols was apparent. Bravely, he resolved to his only option, escape. Steeling his composure and beating a speedy retreat, the boy tried to slip away only to be stopped by Shiro's arm. The redhead smiling down at the him"You have to listen to your mother." It was not an order or a scolding; Shiro's kind and understanding tone made the boy look down and nod while Sakura giggled behind her hand at the whole ordeal.

"Thank you." the older woman said with a small bow "For everything… Ever since his father's passing he looks up to you. It's good for kids his age to have someone like that." Shiro awkwardly shook both his hands, stating that he had nothing to be thanked for.

"It is nothing." he vocalized with a tinge of insistence.

The woman just gave him a mother's smile and proceeded to grab her son by the arm. Then the woman's expression changed to one of fiery anger as she scolded him "What are you doing running away like that? Do you know how worried I was!? Didn't I tell you that there's something dangerous going on in the city!?"

Sakura gave a small, awkward smile "Her personality is completely different." she commented as they both watched the mother and her child heading off in the distance. "But you can see that she loves him."

Shiro nodded, feeling a twinge of what could only be called jealousy at the sight of such motherly affection. "Agreed." he turned away from the couple and turned to Sakura "Sorry, well… for, you know."

They both started walking towards school, Shiro noticing Sakura's confused expression out of the corner of his eye. The slight tilt of the girl's face made the question obvious.

Shiro rubbed the back of his neck, "All that business, you might be late for club practice."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Seeing you interact with children is…" She bashfully looked away for a second, a light pink covering her cheeks "…cute." it was almost a whisper that Shiro had trouble hearing.

Shiro didn't answer and looked at the horizon, as if in search for something. The day had been nothing but ordinary, yet he still had a bad feeling a sort of an impending dread. He put a hand on his right shoulder, it had yet to stop stinging ever since he woke up.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Rin Tohsaka. Saying she was a beauty would be a tremendous understatement. Her soft, yet resilient features were pleasant to look at. Although not of an unusual color, her brown eyes shone with the fire of passion; a feeling she seemed to incite in everyone she looked at. Her silky brown hair had always been the object of envy amongst the other girls. Her lithe figure had always been an object of careful observation along boys. Although not especially voluptuous, her long legs, wide hips and narrow waist more than redeemed her in the eyes of the male population.

It was even said that in the deep and most secret archives of her fanclub lay an object comparable in rarity and value to the Holy Grail; a picture of Tohsaka's thighs.

Of course, physical appearance alone had not earned her the position of the school idol. The atmosphere the girl exuded gave her the feel of a woman rather than a highschool girl. Because of this, the students saw her as an otherworldly being, and quickly came to idolize her. Her family name and aloof attitude shrouded the Tohsaka heir in mystery, which made even more students take an interest in her. Her excellent grades and wealthy family did nothing but help her case.

In short, she was everything the males wanted and everything the females aspired to be. As it stood, she was one of the only girls that could make Shiro blatantly stare while lost in thought. Now was one of those moments.

He had stopped working on the heater Issei had requested him to fix, content with staring at the girl in the distance from the corner of the hallway he was in. Issei had noticed, and was now staring at the back of his friend, shaking his head in disappointment.

Issei was not exceptional, but he was far from being a regular student. His sharp features and intelligent eyes did not give a false impression of him; he had some of the best grades in the school, which had given him the position of the student council president. His robust body and stiff way in which he carried himself with also perfectly portrayed his formal and strict demeanor. Perhaps his most eye-catching feature was the stylish, yet simple pair of glasses he always wore.

Nearing the redhead, the bespectacled youth reached his hand out with the intention of tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention. The president hesitated, remembering how Shiro disliked having his right shoulder touched, then angled around and went for the left shoulder instead.

Shiro felt a pat and turned around to see one of his only close friends. The redhead assumed he was checking in on his work. It was no problem, he had finished just a moment ago. "I'm just about finished." he spoke up to his friend "Is there anything else you need me to fix?"

Issei shook his head and directed his gaze towards where the idol of the school stood. "I thought you liked older women." he commented with no malicious intent. "Anyway, I'm not here to judge your tastes, but know this…" Issei pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with two fingers "That vixen is no good, she gives me a bad feeling."

Shiro smiled, Issei's rants on Tohsaka were anything but new. "Don't worry, I'm not that interested in her." he assured his friend "And I do like older women." he piped up after a second, defending himself. The redhead had been sincere, although his interest of Tohsaka would be better named as a crush, it wasn't so keen that he was willing to do something about it.

His answer seemed to put his friend at ease, though it seemed he still had something to talk about "Good, good. Nevertheless, stay away from her. Someone like you could easily fall for her trap."

"What does that mean?" Shiro asked, raising an eyebrow. Issei's response was interrupted as the bell rung throughout the school, announcing lunchtime and leaving a silence between them for a moment.

"Don't misunderstand." the president continued with his usual formal tone "I appreciate all of your help, but someone who's not your friend can easily take advantage of you. That girl, especially, gives me the feeling that she would manipulate you without a second thought."

"It's not manipulation if I fall for it willingly." Shiro argued back, starting to stand up and reaching for his bag that was near some lockers in the hallway.

The monk's son sighed a second time, with slight exasperation, "You might think what you just said was really deep, but this is why I worry about you." he answered, turning around with Shirou.

Deciding there was nothing else to be said on the subject, Shiro changed topic. "I won't be eating lunch in the council room with you; I have to be somewhere. Sorry." He clasped his hands in a sign of apology. "If you need anything, I'll be on the roof."

The president shook his head. "There is no need to apologize, friend. Enjoy your lunch." he courteously added before turning around and making his way to some other student council member. He turned one last time around to give a wave of farewell to which Shiro responded in suit.

Once his friend was gone, Shiro opened his bag to make sure he had everything he needed. Indeed, the several types of bread he had bought at the school cafeteria and the Bento he had brought from home were there, sitting untouched and looking like they were mocking him for worrying. Satisfied, he made his way towards the roof.

What the purple haired president had said rang true; he was fond of older women. It was no secret, either one way or another, the student knew that the unofficial janitor took a liking to more mature women. Perhaps that was why he found himself attracted to Tohsaka. Her standoffish personality gave her a more mature air.

Shiro shrugged just as he was about to reach the stairs. Taking them up, he stopped as he saw a familiar face. There was a moment of silence where neither he nor the other person spoke. There was no tension, only a still silence.

Standing below him, for he had already climbed some steps, was none other than Rin Tohsaka. This was one of the only interactions Shiro had with the school idol. They both liked to eat on the roof from time to time. The issue was that Tohsaka apparently disliked eating with company, so whenever she saw Shiro arrive first, she would turn around and promptly leave. This had turned some days into a race where the last one to get to the stairs would leave in defeat without a word.

Normally, Shiro would not mind sharing the roof. However, today this system worked in his advantage. Today, the privacy was appreciated. Like it was the custom, the girl turned around, not terribly pleased. Her hair made an arc as she turned around and started walking away. The redhead paid it no mind and continued on his way. The moment he closed the door behind him, a familiar, yet melodious voice came, followed by an ethereal blue light.

"That girl is picky… but we shall not shed a tear, for it is her loss; my Praetor."

The redhead turned around, a smile painting his lips. Miraculously, it seemed like a woman in red had materialized, appearing out of thin air. Linings of the blue energy still lingered, before slowly dissipating.

Shiro was a lucky man. Between Sakura, Tohsaka and this new arrival he was surrounded by beauties. This one in particular had golden hair tied up in a bun. The small portions of hair waved with the wind as she moved her head. Her emerald eyes shone with confidence, with her features being slightly rounded; big round eyes, slightly wider chin and even puffier cheeks. Yet she did not look childish, it gave her more of a jovial, charismatic air. It made her, in a strange way, more approachable. Her features were closer to what most people had, yet different enough to be idolized.

However, much of her allure to him, akin to Tohsaka, was her personality. The girl's haughty smile and defiant eyes were bewitching. Similarly, her posture was confident and strong. Despite her low height, the girl held herself with her head high. Her feet were almost buried into the ground and she puffed her rather sizable chest forward. Her body said 'I am here. I will not move.' while her expression dared you to do anything about it.

She was one of the reasons Shiro liked older women. Although she hadn't changed since that day almost a decade ago with her appearance still being pretty young, Shiro still saw her as older than him.

"Look who's talking." Shiro answered "You could have eaten the breakfast Sakura prepared, she was really worrying over it." he added with a tinge of concern. He proceeded to sit down, open his bag and take out the supplies he carried in there.

"That girl is not worthy to cook for me." she answered with a plain yet dignified tone while taking the Bento box offered to her by Shiro. "Your food on the other hand…" a gleam of gluttony passed through her eyes as she licked her lips "Is as if it was brought down by the Gods themselves. It is truly a pleasure to eat it." she opened the box and took an octopus sausage, her face changing to that of bliss as she ate it.

Shiro rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes, an awkward smile forming on his lips. "But you have eaten her food before, haven't you?" he noticed how the woman in front of him looked away. "And you have been quiet all day." the woman didn't move, she just kept quiet "Angry?" he asked with a smile.

The woman in red pouted "My Praetor spent from dawn until dusk with that man's teachings. I could not bring myself to wake you after such a task for your routine training." her pout got more pronounced "It is important to learn how to defend oneself…"

"And?" Shiro continued, getting the feeling that there was something else.

She turned to him with, the pout still visible "We have practiced swordsmanship almost since the moment we met. I enjoy it, it is one of our oldest bonds. Yet you seem to take an infinitely larger amount of interest in Kiritsugu's teachings. I do not want to think that you have only taken his words to heart." she finally confessed.

Shiro though for a moment, before nodding as her worries made sense. "Come here ." he said, patting his lap and prompting a raised eyebrow from his companion. Nevertheless, she complied and made her way towards him before plopping herself on his lap. Once he felt the familiar warmth against him, the tension that had accumulated throughout the day disappeared. He squinted at the cloudy sky above, feeling the rigid posture of the woman disappearing as she too relaxed.

"That's not going to happen, Nero." He said her name for the first time, encompassing the short woman in sort of a hug, placing his head on top of hers.

"I know." she answered, looking up to him, his solemn yet troubled expression gave her pause "It still bothers me, my Praetor." she said, leaning back into his chest.

Shiro gave a small chuckle, yet there was no real happiness in it. "I can make it up to you. What do you want?"

Nero leaned into Shiro a bit more. "It has been many moons since we have seen the sunset, I would like to go to the bridge and appreciate the show." she said, with nary a second of thought.

Shiro gave a small grimace "You know there's a kidnapper on the loose, don't you?" he grumbled. He wasn't against the idea, but still argued, perhaps simply for appearance's sake. "The school asked us to get home early because of that."

"You and I both know that with me by your side, you need not fear a measly criminal." The woman in Shiro's arms quickly proclaimed. Her words rang true, with a being with such power by his side, he was probably one of the safest inhabitants of the city.

"But let's dispense with the formalities, my Praetor." when the redhead brought his head down he found the piercing emerald eyes of the former Roman Emperor. Her gaze was curious, yet serious. Shiro had the feeling that he would have to answer whatever his companion inquired about.

"You seem distraught. What troubles ail you?" there was real concern mixed in her voice.

"You always seem to catch on the moment something happens." Shiro commented with a dry chuckle, looking upwards again.

"Do you think I am dumb? Speaking of your lack of practice with such importance, when in fact we discuss it every month, clued me in" she dismissively explained "That, and the fact that ever since you were nothing more than a boy, you came to me when you were in distress. You seem to find comfort in holding something, rather that in being held."

A nostalgic smile came to her face "I also remember how I sat you in my lap against your wishes and kept you there until you had calmed down." On the other hand, Shiro displayed an embarrassed blush.

"No longer an option, since I have outgrown you in height."

Instant elbow to the ribs for Shiro.

"What did you say?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am."

The girl nodded, satisfied. "Whichever the case is, please speak to me." she asked again.

Shiro kept his silence for a moment, carefully thinking how to word his woes. He settled on a simple yet blunt approach that the no-nonsense Emperor would understand.

"I had the dream." he more or less breathed out while looking away. Not a moment passed and Shiro was already flexing his shoulders, as if a great weight had been lifted.

He then felt the woman under her arms get rigid and tense. The topic was a difficult one, for both parties.

"And?" she ask in a husky, almost commanding tone.

"My shoulder has been stinging all day." he could feel Nero's hold tightening on his arm with every word. "It gives me a bad feeling, like an omen. Yet this day has been nothing but ordinary. It's putting me on edge."

The woman jumped up, grabbing his face and pulling him to face her. "You know that no matter what happens, I will be here." Her eyes were dead serious.

"I know." the redhead breathed out, a bit of relief filling him. "You being here really helps." Shiro gave her a squeeze, making her exhale in surprise "You don't know how much."

"Good." she answered, looking away from Shiro and to the horizon. She had a sad expression on her face, yet a small smirk had made its way to her features.

"Sorry for being such a wimp." Shiro expressed after a few moments of silence. His apology was accompanied by a self-deprecating laugh. "I…"

"Don't, my Praetor." she forcefully interrupted, then quickly turned around and stared him down. "Even my stomach churns when I go back to that carnage." the expression of disgust on her face proved her words correct. "You have nothing to apologize for."

She plopped herself in his lap again. The silence that followed seemed more like a recovery time before either of them could speak again. Finally, Shiro broke the silence, his voice noticeably cheerier.

"Do you want to finish the lunch I made you?"

"Gods, yes."

* * *

 ** **So I hoped you enjoyed that. I also hope it wasn't too long of a chapter.****

 ** **It has been ages since I have posted anything so reviews are extremely appreciated. Especially concerning style and such since I have gotten a bit rusty. I would like to make the read more enjoyable for you guys so anything that bothers you or something you see that has room for improvement would be really appreciated. Of course, any comments regarding characters, plot points, story or something you guys just want to see are also welcome.****

 ** **Special thank's to thefinalarbiter who is the beta for this story. Seriously without him this story would be a mess. He also wrote the small omake that's next. Please check out his stories, the Code Geass ones he has written are particularly good. ****

****Next chapter we will meet the third main character of the story and have a little bit of action.****

 ** **Thanks for reading, please review and enjoy!****

 ** **0o0o0o0o0o0o0****

 ** **Omake****

Shiro woke up completely soaked in sweat. It had been a long time since he'd had that dream. It was far from pleasant, but he had gotten accustomed to it. He no longer woke up screaming like he did as a child, at the very least.

He sighed and rubbed his right shoulder, it hurt. The small movement made it hurt even more, but he preferred the finite pain to having his shoulder stiff the whole day. It finally seemed the give in, the cracking of his bones feeling extremely relieving.

"Senpai!" came the sweet voice of his underclassman. The purpled haired girl entered the room with a jovial attitude, wearing an apron. "Breakfast is ready…" her face scrunched with worry the moment she saw her Senpai with a hand on his shoulder.

"Does it hurt?" she asked meekly, her concern sipping through her every word.

"No." he grunted out, his eyes narrowing in annoyance as the chiseled face of the Holy God Emperor flashed across his vision, finally revealing the vile creature in front of him for what it truly was - a foul agent of Nurgle, the chaos god of disease and decay.

With an incomprehensible battle cry, he jumped out of bed and dug his fingers in her eye sockets, prompting a blood-curdling scream from the disgusting demon that he quickly silenced by furiously headbutting her over and over again all the while screaming obscenities and praises for the Holy Father of Mankind.

As her skull gradually caved in, showering the surroundings with blood and gore, he stood up and roared in triumph, holding out a fistful of brain matter before throwing it at the window, the gentle light falling through quickly becoming obscured with red as putrid matter and slime dripped down the window.

The vision stopped, and he rolled over to grab his dried-toad medicine, popping it open and gulping down the contents. The good doctor told him to take it every day. He must listen to the doctor. He's a good man.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello there. It took time but second chapter is here.**

 **I also got a few reviews telling me that Shiro should be a bit cockier, growing up with Nero and all. That is a very good observation so thanks to all reviewers who pointed that out. I tried making him a bit cockier while staying true to the core of Shiro's character.**

 **The Beta for this chapter was** **TheFinalArbiter** **. Without him most of this chapters would be a mess. Please enjoy and leave a review.**

* * *

The last moments of light made Shiro feel giddy. The fleeting beauty of the sunset always produced a strange kind of longing in the teenager. He leaned forward into the railing, catching the last rays of sunlight reflected on the river, then quickly had to look away as the splendor hurt his eyes. It wasn't long before it was all gone, leaving the sky over the horizon tinted red.

Shiro smiled as he felt that his companion, in ethereal form, was satisfied. The redhead noted the satisfaction had quickly turned into annoyance; the presence behind urging him to move along. That being the case, Shiro had no intention to leave. His favorite part was about to begin. Leaning in further into the railing, he ignored her completely and got comfortable.

The aura of discomfort at his back increased. However, the neediness of his guardian and her lack of interest for anything she deemed unimportant gave him the sense of familiarity that he had been sorely missing. He remained, ignoring the huffing and the occasional poke from the angry old woman who had hit her menopause long ago and was now trying to take it out on him. Luckily, Nero was in a more-or-less reasonable mood today. Had she been in her usual bitchy state, she would probably would have been dragging him across the ground already.

With the sunlight well on its way to disappearing, each building started to turn on its illumination. Even the bridge where they stood flipped the switch, bathing them in yellow glow. This is what he had hoped to see, and thanks to his Servant's amicable mood his wish had been granted.

The light shrouded skyscrapers reflected themselves in the water. It gave the impression there was a second world beyond the deep. Although all of this was impressive and quite a sight in its own right, it was not what Shiro enjoyed the most. His eyes were transfixed on the sense of chaotic harmony the city gave off. In his opinion, it was beautiful.

It was evident by the audible huff behind him that Nero was feeling disagreeable. "I hope we're done wasting our time, we should keep moving." the cold voice whispered in his ear. "I would also like to remind you that we were asked to make a timely arrival home."

The teen rolled his eyes, without looking back "Oh, so _now_ you care what others say." he lightly scoffed in a joking manner "I was under the impression that nothing could happen to me while I was with you?"

He could feel that the woman behind him was anything but pleased at his response. He had used her pride to his advantage, and the possibility that she used the same argument again were close to none. "Besides, look at this. Doesn't it amaze you?" he asked while pointing at the cityscape. "I think it's amazing."

"I hold no particular interest for it. I see nothing more than the common man or woman living the life you would expect them to. It is mundane." she replied with a smug tone. If she were in physical form, her arms would probably be crossed and her head held up high.

"Exactly. Normal people that have come together to build something truly amazing. In the end, this group of common people have accomplished things even greater than the elite of old ever did." The teen mused with amazement in his eyes.

Shiro stepped back from the railing, he was content with what he had seen. Besides, Nero's words rang true. He didn't want to overworry Taiga or, if she was present, Sakura. He did, however, say one last thing before walking away.

"I think you are just intimidated by the tall buildings." he suggested with a raised eyebrow and an unassuming tone. He then proceeded to walk home.

He felt the instant pressure of Nero's stare. Some eyes threw daggers, others seemed to want you dead. This one, however, seemed to be flaying him alive. It was to such an extent that he started to walk faster, his quasi-jog giving him a comical appearance. The Servant's silence didn't help either.

This routine endured for a few minutes, when the "tense" silence between them evolved into its natural state of comfortable silence. Shiro no longer felt the impending danger and bloodlust; instead, the reassuring presence of Nero at his back. He believed that his companion was also having a good time. Perhaps it was the sudden splashes and rings that seemed to appear out of nowhere in every puddle they passed. Or maybe it was something deeper, maybe he just knew.

He was about to comment on it before he felt something that chilled his blood. The bag on his shoulder almost fell and he bit his lip on instinct. One of his hands unconsciously moving towards his right shoulder, his eyes widening.

Nero didn't take long to react either. No sooner had Shiro exhaled his first strained breath was she in front of him; one hand held out protectively in front of him while the other held her greatsword. The white of her knuckles in the hand that held the sword was also evident. Nero's eyes were narrowed, almost in hatred. A tense breath exhaled her lips before she finally spoke.

"A boundary field!"

It meant a magus was close, a magus that did not want his activities to be noticed. With worry, Saber looked back at the boy she had cared for for almost a decade. Chances were whatever was happening was far from good. Knowing Shiro, he would choose to investigate.

"We have to make sure nobody's getting hurt!" Shiro quickly said once he noticed his Servant's look. He was trying to keep his composure, but was obviously unsettled.

The woman in red sighed and looked down. The boy would push forward unless she knocked him out and left him there. If she told him to stay put, she would just be dealing with a rogue at her back and beyond her control or sight. However, she also had no intention to leave the boundary field unattended. This meant that knocking Shiro out and taking him home was also out of the question.

Grudgingly, she nodded with a difficult expression on her face. It didn't take a second for Shiro to step forward in the direction his instincts guided him. Nero was just as quick to whip out her arm, blocking his path. "Please stay safe behind me." she pleaded.

As she expected, the boy widened his eyes and tried to mumble something before stepping back and nodding. Nero knew Shiro was one to defy an order, but a plea? The woman smiled to herself as she turned around. She knew him well.

Nero cracked her neck and looked down at her sword. The massive red and black sword was curved, with only one edge. Although it was obvious that the sword was made for chopping and slashing, the pointed end -which resembled a spear- made stabbing the enemy a viable alternative. The blade looked almost like it was made out of flames and had the words " _regnum caelorum et gehenna_ " etched on its surface.

It had been a long time since she had used it in battle. A sense of trepidation filled her, it would be a lie to say she wasn't excited. She closed her eyes and used her heightened sense to find the source of the barrier. Her eyes opened, her slits dangerously narrowing "A hundred meters in front and two to the right, inside that alleyway. Follow closely, my Praetor." having said that, she dashed forward, slow enough for Shiro to follow without much issue. Both of them quickly made the hundred-meter dash and rounded up to the alleyway.

The alleyway was different from the main street they had been traversing. It was less lit and gave off a vibe of danger. The missing light gave it a sinister feel, as if you were entering a cave. The barely visible silhouettes of the vegetation at the sidelines of the street seemed like creatures from another world.

The two companions did not falter. Without delay, they both resumed their pace, dashing forward until something started to make itself visible on the distance. Beneath a single street lamp, there was a jet black van. Two men in black suits, one taller than the other, were doing something Shiro could not fully recognize.

One of the men turned, discovering the two intruders. It took Nero seconds to notice. She unleashed her full speed, becoming a blur in front of Shiro. In less than a two seconds, she was in front of the tall man. With a merciless diagonal swipe that went from the man's right shoulder to his left hip, she cut the first of them in half. There was no blood, the wound had instantly cauterized. Nevertheless, two limp halves of what was once a man fell to the ground.

As Nero turned around, she saw a smaller figure she hadn't noticed before. It was a child. He was standing still, as if in some kind of trance. Before she completely turned to face the second enemy, she screamed "Shiro, get the child!" The servant then faced the enemy before her, parrying a baton strike aimed towards her shoulder. The baton was imbued with magic; she could feel it.

Behind her, she could sense Shiro arriving and taking the boy in his arms. He was probably rounding the van and examining him. As soon as she felt her back clear, Nero began with her counter attack. She pushed the baton away with her sword. The man's arm flew away, creating an opening for Nero. The woman swiftly spun the sword in her hand and delivered a strong blow with the dull end of the sword to the man's collar bone. The scream of agonizing pain was accompanied by the deaf crack of bone breaking.

The suited man fell back while clutching his collar bone. Once he was on the ground, he shuffled back in an attempted escape, his back hitting the smooth side of the black car. He then fearfully looked up at the woman in red who was slowly but surely making her way towards him. With each heavy step, her metal boots clanked against the ground. Those green eyes stared in complete hatred at him, as if she was looking down on vermin.

Once she was close enough, she raised her sword to his throat. The cold steel made his skin sting. "Talk." she commanded, her emerald eyes cold as ice.

The man just spat in her direction, hitting one of her boots. Nero looked down to her boot for a second before raising her boot and wiping the spit on the ground. Once her eyes were set on the man below her again, she began to speak.

"Do you know why your friend didn't bleed?"

The man was stunned by the question, but even more so by the silence that followed. Then the tip of the sword that was pointed at him began to burn him. He screamed in pain, but the woman's only reaction was to drag the sword to his shoulder blade where she dug it in.

"Talk!" she repeated, digging the blade deeper.

"The shrine outside of town, we were taking him there!"

Deeper.

"Th-the abandoned hospital at the edge of town!"

Deeper.

"Outside the city, in another tow-"

Deeper. The smell of burning flesh started to fill the air.

The man wailed in agony but his pain only deepened. Finally, after a few ragged breaths and between grunts he answered. "We were taking them to Gallista Centre outside the town." as soon as he finished, Nero pulled back the sword. A few seconds passed, allowing the man to recover his breath.

"Thank you" she said before ruthlessly slitting his throat. The lifeless body slowly fell sideways. As with the one before, the wound was instantly cauterized. It left no blood behind.

With light steps she walked away from the body, calling out to Shiro. "You could have been faster grabbing that boy." she off handedly commented.

"If someone hadn't decided to get in touch with their inner bull I would have." came Shiro's response from the other side. "Besides, the trance the boy is in didn't help. I haven't been able to snap him out of it."

Nero stared at her sword for a second before she letting it dissipate into thin air. Hearing Shiro come around the van, she turned around to find him horrified, with more than a hint of disgust on his face. However, it quickly disappeared in favor of a more solemn expression.

"Killing them wasn't necessary." he commented, looking away, both of his shoulders rigid.

Nero scoffed and walked towards the rear doors of the van. With unnatural strength, she pried the trunk open with a single motion. Inside there were at least ten children, all with the same absent eyes. "We both know what these are, sacrifices." Nero spat with disgust "They are blood mages, they deserved to die."

The teen was obviously disturbed at the sight. The recent disappearances of children were all too fresh in his mind at the sight. Either as test subjects or sacrifices, these kids were about to suffer a fate worse than death, and he knew it.

Nevertheless Shiro looked away a second before facing the woman with renewed vigor. "That is not our choice to make!" he confronted her, his voice determined. His body leaned forward slightly ; as if to give more weight to his words.

Nero responded with yet another scoff, this one louder than the one that came before. "What do you suppose we do, call the Authorities?" she mocked "You know as well as I do that not a day would pass before they escaped." She crossed her arms and added "This was the only way to bring justice to their victims and prevent them from doing more harm."

Shiro was about to answer but got promptly cut off by Nero. "Whatever the case, they have more. I learned where they are taking them. We should hurry if we want to prevent further casualties." She cracked her neck, her sword reappearing as she spoke.

Shiro could not disagree. Their spat could be resolved after they had stopped this. He closed his mouth and didn't say anything, nodding.

The woman responded in fashion and walked towards the corpses, slightly touching them with her sword. Suddenly they burst in red flames. They quickly engulfed all three pieces. It was a special kind of fire, there was no smell and there would not be any remains. As Shiro put the kid he had in arms inside the car he could only think that he would not wish that kind of burial on anyone. He gave one last look of pity to the bodies before approaching the awaiting Nero.

Her sword had disappeared once again. The moment Shiro got close enough, the older woman grabbed him by the hip and brought him close to her in a manner resembling those of a dashing prince bringing the princess close to him from the grand tales of yore. The haughty smile the former Empress gave convinced Shiro that Nero was aware of this and that she was reveling in it. It seemed that even times like these Nero kept her cocky attitude and carefree nature intact.

Once the teen was tightly secured, the woman in red raised a hand and hit the black Van with tremendous might. The alarms in the car instantly flared. With the barrier gone, it would only be a matter of time before the neighbors would investigate the screeching noise. Having done that the woman leapt into the air, effortlessly carrying Shiro with her.

0o0o0o0o0o0

She was cold. The heavy rain had soaked through her clothes, weighing her down. She hadn't noticed when it started to rain The coldness of the clothes that clung to her body had seeped into her bones. She no longer felt her legs or her arms. There was only the wound in her abdomen, courtesy of the Lancer class servant her Master had brought with her. Warm blood slowly oozed from it. It hurt like hell yet the serene flow and warmth of her blood was strangely comforting.

A small gust of wind came by and the witch felt herself being wisped away. It was her pranna, she barely had any left and had begun to dissipate. She suppressed it, controlling the flow so she could last longer. It was to no avail; the effort was too much. With both the substances that kept her alive dripping out of her body, she wouldn't last more than an hour.

Her legs gave out, and she dropped to her knees. Her hood was saturated with water, making it stick to her face and nose. She was blind, she was suffocating. With the last of her strength she pulled her hood back, it did not give her any comfort. Her elfin features, now visible allowed her to feel in raindrops falling on her face. She was a beautiful woman, no doubt a byproduct of her status as a powerful Magus and a Heroic Spirit.

The woman appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties. There was a solemn wisdom within her face, despite her angular features and pale, smooth complexion which made her look younger; she was unmistakably a mature woman. Her hair was long and of a platinum color, a pair of pointy ears sticking out from beneath it. However, her eyes, once beautiful, now only looked pale and dead.

The woman lightly cocked her head to the right. A spire of smoke clouded the horizon. The building she had set on fire, along with her master. The authorities of this land had probably arrived at the scene. She had freed the children, after all. Her master's little specimens would probably attract a lot of attention. It did not matter; her blue flames were not so easily put out. Nothing would remain.

The woman tried standing up to no avail. The wound in her stomach was too deep. She snickered, at least she had responded in kind. It would be a while before that Lancer could walk again. However, this little victory gave her no comfort. Here she lay once again, dying after being condemned as a Witch.

Fate had a cruel irony to it. It wasn't enough for her to die like this a first time; no, she had to experience this again. She had to be tricked into believing she had a second chance only to be betrayed again, to appear to a master that had humiliated her and mistreated her. Maybe she was damned to live as The Witch of Betrayal for eternity.

She fell on her face, staying like that for a few seconds before she mustered the strength to roll over on her back. He eyes rested for a second on the towers of light on the horizon. Just one word came to mind, arrogance. These humans were trying to reach the heavens.

Nevertheless, they were closer to it than she ever would be and she cursed them for it. She cursed them because they could continue to build those towers of dreams. She cursed them for their happiness. She cursed them because they had the possibility of being something else.

Finally, the woman turned her head towards the moon that shone brightly despite the clouds. With the last of her strength she reached for the silver orb. In that moment, with a trembling hand reaching for the sky, Medea cursed fate and her existence. Then she lost consciousness.

However, something, someone, did not let her head fall.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

He and Nero had been the first to arrive at the scene, the building the mage had specified. Upon arriving they found a crowd of at least fifty children, all dressed in white medical robes, and the building engulfed in blue flames. Their worst fears were confirmed. They had been used for nefarious purposes, and more than a few had not made it out.

However, someone had put a stop to it before they had arrived. Shiro and Nero quickly made sure that they were okay while asking if they knew who had freed them. None of the children could give a clear answer. Some said it was a shadow, others claimed it had been a superhero while the rest were too shocked to answer.

Except a girl, smaller than the rest and with brown hair tied in two pigtails. She had grabbed Shiro's sleeve and pointed towards the dense foliage. "She went that way; she was hurt!". Shiro had quickly dropped on his knees and thanked the little girl before following her finger.

Nero followed hesitantly behind him.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea, Shiro." she finally voiced her protests, stopping in her tracks. "Those flames are not natural, and the person that summoned them is not to be trusted."

"With all due respect. I think we both recognized that they weren't natural. It was pretty obvious." he offhandedly commented as he moved towards the dense foliage.

Nero didn't move. "Shiro." she called again, this time more serious. This prompted the teen to turn around and face her.

It was the moment that Shiro noticed it had begun to rain. He didn't know when it had started, but his clothes were slightly wet. Nero did not seem to have the same problem, she emitted a sort of heat that vaporized the drops as soon as they touched her; keeping her dry.

"That fire, even for mages, is not natural. There's something wrong with it. I can feel it in my bones." She warned, eyes locking with Shiro's. "Just know that before you go on." she finally let out.

"She helped the chil-" Shiro started to argue back before getting interrupted by his partner.

"We both know Magus are prideful and wistful. Freeing the children could have well only been to spite the owner of the workshop." Nero crossed her arms and leaned backwards, however her expression quickly softened. "Just be careful."

Shiro looked down for a second before facing her again. "She saved those children, the reasons don't matter. We have to help her." he made his final point.

The woman's expression lightened "I grudgingly agree." she said in an almost joking tone "It's justice. I just want you to know what you're getting into." she started to walk towards him.

However, before Nero or her intended hand towards his shoulder could reach him, there was a sound that grabbed their attention. Shiro looked around, scrambling into the bushes towards the source.

After looking around for a few moments, Nero behind him, he found what he was looking for. A small clearing, with a lying woman, covered in dark robes, obviously very hurt if her appearance was anything to go by. Her fragile arm seemed to be reaching for the stars. It looked like it was begging for help, for something or someone to come to its aide. It felt like it was trying to desperately grasp at last vestiges of life.

It reminded Shiro of someone. So when her arm started to fall, Shiro darted forward without thinking about it. He tenderly grabbed the hand before it could completely fall, and when he did, a blue pulse shot out, gradually disappearing and leaving a red mark on his hand.

Nero watched with interest from behind as the teen cooped the woman's hand, not seeing the red mark.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The Emiya household was quieter than usual. Nero was leaning against one of the windows facing the courtyard with a tired yet relaxed pose. Considering today's happenings, it wasn't surprising that the house was lulled into a calm, restful haze. Nero grimaced; maybe Shiro's nightmare truly was an omen.

The grimace settling into her normal expression, she brought a cup of wine to her lips; she had found a small moment to relax in this hectic night. The woman in the red dress leaned further into the window, squinting at the clouds outside. The cool glass panes contrasted with the warm atmosphere of the room, creating a pleasant sensation in the uncovered skin of her back.

Nevertheless, this stillness didn't sit well with her. She felt impatient, a fact that was punctuated by her incessantly tapping foot. There was a servant in Shiro's house, a servant of questionable motives and allegiances. Standing around doing nothing in such a situation made Nero lightly bite her lip.

The woman heard the approaching steps of Shiro. He should have finished treating their "guest" and putting them to bed in one of the several free rooms. Turning her head, and through the golden locks of hair that fell on her face she saw the redhead, covered head to toe in dried blood. None of it was his, nevertheless it was still quite unsettling.

Shiro walked next to her and without saying a thing, leaned against the ridge. His exhaustion was evident.. Nero's eyes followed him every step of the way as she remained in silence. It was a while before he raised his head and started talking.

"She's all set up in the guest room." Shiro breathed out. "I gave her a new pair of clothes, mine since they are the only that fit." He pulled his head back and gave a long sigh.

"Mhm." Nero responded, taking her eyes of the boy as she did so.

The teen paid her no mind and raised the hand with the command seal. The blood red tattoo had an unnatural glister, it was almost sinister. Nero looked at it with a side-glance, her eyes narrowing slightly; Shiro did not possess a command seal for her.

Unaware of his companion's stare, Shiro spoke again. "Now that she has source of mana, she should recover without a problem…" he dropped his hand and continued staring at the roof, not noticing how the woman's eyes followed his hand. "If she asks who removed her clothes, it was you."

After a few seconds, Nero looked away from his hand. In truth, she had been slightly worried for his wellbeing. Seeing him covered in blood, even if it wasn't his, and the things they had seen at that workshop put her on edge. However, seeing him returning to his normal self and cracking jokes finally reassured her of his well being; it was a weight lifted off her shoulders.

The boy gave a sigh, slumping his shoulders forward. It had been a taxing day, and Shiro was not able to rest, evident by his rapidly shifting eyes.

She nudged him in the shoulder to get his attention, offering the cup she had in hand. He looked at the cup before facing his companion with an inquisitive look

She cocked her head slightly and gave him a coquettish smile. Even with her eyes half open and the different strands of hair messily falling in her face and shoulders, she looked extremely beautiful. It was that combination of eyes filled with care and a cocky smile that made it a sight to behold.

Shiro hesitated but picked up the wine, taking a tentative sip. Nero almost gave a small chuckle as she watched him slightly real back at the taste of the alcohol; it made her smile even wider. The boy grunted for a second before returning the cup to its previous owner.

"You could have helped me with her, you know." Shiro commented with slight annoyance as he turned his gaze away from her.

Nero chuckled "Helping you bed a woman? Over my dead body." she reproached. True to Nero's prediction, Shiro turned red at the implication, broadening her smile.

"Intimidated by her height?" he shot back at her, extending his hand towards the chalice Nero was holding.

Nero quickly stopped moving, her eyes shifting towards Shiro with murderous intent. She found him trying to look as unassuming as possible, shuffling his legs. This show of apparent nervousness was enough for Nero; deciding she would let this pass, for once.

She gave the boy another side glance before handing him the cup. Uncharacteristically of him, Shiro quickly took it and gave it a bigger sip. Unaccustomed to alcohol, the small amount of wine had taken its toll. He looked down and gave a heavy sigh, Nero, realizing that Shiro wanted to say something, and was probably looking for the courage to say it, stayed silent.

"I don't… disagree with what you did." he finally breathed out. He was about to take a second sip, but she gently took it away, setting it to her left, far from Shiro. The teen didn't seem to mind.

Nero knew he was referring to their "small" disagreement concerning the men she had killed. It was yet another instance when both their values clashed, a sensible topic that always brought tension to the conversation. Something Nero wasn't so keen on bringing up. Strangely, Shiro's posture was relaxed; it bewildered her.

She shifted uncomfortably, resisting the urge to interrupt him and ask if they had to speak about this now.

"… but I didn't like it" he confessed, putting both hands in his pockets and looking at the sky outside. He stayed like that for a moment. She knew that even if Shiro had stopped talking, he still needed a little time for his thoughts.

When Nero judged the time to be right, by Shiro slumping his shoulders and looking down, she spoke up. "This isn't the first time you've seen me doing that." she responded seriously, crossing her arms.

"I didn't like it back then either." he quickly answered, lightly whipping his head to the side. "I'm sorry for the way I reacted, I know you don't kill needlessly. I should have trusted you and your judgment." his words were calm, yet somewhat strained. "If we took them to the police, they would have gotten out when they woke up and hurt someone again. There is no way a normal human can hold a magus, I know that." the last part was weak, resigned.

"I still don't like it." his words, although quiet, carried a sense of determination that matched those of his eyes, which were now looking at Nero.

The silence that followed was completely caused by Nero as she turned to face Shiro, looking at him with an almost loving smile and causing him to grimace. She stayed like that for almost a full minute. On his part, Shiro also didn't make an effort to end the silence. He just patiently waited for the answer, if there was to be one. Although he was a bit embarrassed about the smile he was been given.

"I know…" she answered softly "I know all too well." she repeated with a chuckle, perfectly aware of Shiro's flinch beside her. "I also offer my apologies. I should have restrained myself of making it so theatrical. My strong reaction to your words was also unwarranted." The last sentence came as she raised her head to face Shiro.

Nero found the boy smiling weakly. Slowly, she watched him raise his closed fist towards her. Nero also gave a small smile, raising her fist and softly bumping it with Shiro's.

* * *

 **As always, thanks to my beta** **TheFinalArbiter** **. He has some pretty good stories about Code Geass, so go check him out and leave him a review.**

 **I hoped you enjoyed the chapter. To be honest I wanted to put a little more action in it but some things are not meant to be. At least we have the story rolling and Caster with Shiro's pose.**

 **Please leave a review, it really helps.**


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